
Sound in Advertising: Emotion, AI, and Creative Risk with Laney and Matt McCormick
“I don’t think AI quite has us figured out yet because, as human beings, we’ll listen to sad songs to feel better. I don’t think it understands that. That’s true, it’s contrary… Yeah, I mean, I think that AI has its place. I’m not all against it, just as a matter of course, I just think that it shouldn’t replace our creativity. That’s what makes us human, and I don’t want to see a computer replace that. Yeah, I want it to clean my house and cook my meals so that I can create.” – Jodi Krangle & Laney McCormickThis episode is the second half of my conversation with music supervisors Laney and Matt McCormick as we talk about how AI music’s changing the way human musicians approach their work, striking the right balance between playing it safe and making a memorable sonic impression, and how COVID and the rise of social media have changed sound editing and our approach to sonic branding.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that.(00:00) – AI and CreativityOur conversation continues as Laney and Matt talk about the impact of AI on their industry, such as how fast musicians who find themselves competing with AI feel they have to work. “The speed’s definitely an issue,” Matt says. “It’s not easy to crank out an authentic song, and it’s not even easy to crank out an inauthentic song. In a lot of ways, it’s even harder.” Laney notes some of the trends she’s seen in music marketing and how positive messaging is making a comeback. “I see more for that whole motivational lyrical content,” she explains, “They want rap and hip hop beat, female vocal, clean lyrics, and we see a lot of requests come in with female vocals. I think that’s really cool.”(12:45) – Trends in Music LicensingThe discussion turns to pop culture and how sound is becoming more and more important in making a strong impression. “Stranger Things has a huge budget for music,” Laney tells us, “and they’re using huge tunes, and those are, you know, those are the supervisors acting as influencers in many ways. ‘Running Up That Hill’ was a B-side, and here it is, huge again.” Matt adds his thoughts on the musical risks brands are willing to take in order to stand out. “Everybody always wants to do something different, but that’s a risk, right?” he explains. “I mean your large brands, whether it’s Coca-Cola, Amazon, Nike, Taco Bell… Are those brands willing to take, like, a really huge risk with music and with sound? And the answer for me is, I don’t know. But I don’t see it very often.”(20:00) – The Role of Sound in AdvertisingAs our conversation comes to a close, Laney and Matt tell listeners how they can get in touch, and they both share their thoughts on the power of sound and its importance in our lives. “Music specifically for me is a therapy of sorts,” Laney says. “It doesn’t matter what my problem is, what my mood is, or what activity I need to do, want to do, or have to do. There is a genre and a record that will make that easier for me.” Matt talks about sound’s ability to connect us to one another, and how it creates a common ground for people from every walk of life. “Sound moves you,” he tells us. “And it can be a common ground for everybody in a way. It’s hard to listen to an emotional piece of music and not be emotional and not feel that with the person that’s next to you or multiple people next to you.”Episode SummaryOur discussion on how AI affects human creativity in music.Laney and Matt reveal the current trends in music requests and licensing.Matt and Laney discuss why they prioritize authentic music in their work.Connect with the GuestConnect with the Audio Branding Podcast:Book your project with Voice Overs and Vocals by visiting https://voiceoversandvocals.comConnect with me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jodikrangle/Watch the Audio Branding Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JodiKrangleVOConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodikrangle/Leave the Audio Branding Podcast a review at https://lovethepodcast.com/audiobranding (Thank you!)Share your passion effectively with these Tips for Sounding Your Best as a Podcast Guest!https://voiceoversandvocals.com/tips-for-sounding-your-best-as-a-podcast-guest/Get my Top Five Tips for Implementing an Intentional Audio Strategyhttps://voiceoversandvocals.com/audio-branding-strategy/Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy










